A stampede-like situation unfolded on Tuesday in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, as approximately 800 job seekers arrived for a walk-in interview for just 40 vacancies at a local firm, an official reported.
The chaotic scene was captured in videos that went viral on social media on Thursday, showing a massive queue of applicants pushing and shoving to gain access to the hotel where the interviews were being conducted. The surge led to the collapse of the railing on the entrance ramp, causing several individuals to fall. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
BJP-Congress Clash
This incident sparked a heated exchange between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP. The Congress criticized the ruling party, claiming the event highlighted the failures of the "Gujarat model" of development.
In a post on X, the Congress stated, “Gujarat model of Narendra Modi. A huge crowd of unemployed people gathered for a hotel job in Bharuch, Gujarat. The situation became such that the railing of the hotel broke and the Gujarat model was exposed. Narendra Modi is imposing this model of unemployment on the entire country.”
The BJP accused the Congress of attempting to defame Gujarat through the viral video.
बेरोजगारी का आलम कुछ यूं है कि
एक होटल में नौकरी के लिए होटल के बाहर इतनी भीड़ हो गयी की रैलिंग तक टूट गयी !ये गुजरात के बेरोज़गारी की ज़मीनी हक़ीक़त है.
बेरोज़गारी का #गुजरात_मॉडल(बेरोज़गारी का बोझ बेचारी रेलिंग भी नहीं सह पायी)#unemployment #gujrat#Gujarat_Model… pic.twitter.com/wN1I3q5tF2
— Yuvrajsinh Jadeja (@YAJadeja) July 11, 2024
In their rebuttal on X, the BJP said, “Efforts to defame Gujarat are being made through a viral video from Ankleshwar. The advertisement for the walk-in interview clearly states they require experienced candidates. This implies those attending the interview are already employed elsewhere. Therefore, the notion of these individuals being unemployed is baseless.”
The BJP further claimed that the opposition's claims were unfounded.
(With inputs from PTI)
